AGI: Covid-19 support in Mauritius

By Shauneen Beukes | May 5, 2020 | Comments Off on AGI: Covid-19 support in Mauritius

Aspen donates anaesthetic medicines to patients in critical condition

An Aspen Global Incorporated Initiative

Ministry of Health, Emmanuel Anquetil Building, Port Louis, 29 April 2020: In a major contribution in our fight against Covid-19, Aspen Global Incorporated, the Mauritian subsidiary of Aspen Pharmacare Holdings (a multinational pharmaceutical company), has donated approximately 30,000 vials of three anaesthetic products (Diprivan, Nimbex and Tracrium) used to treat patients in intensive care units (ICUs) with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, these medically critical products have become scarcer as demand has increased worldwide. It is in this context that Aspen has offered its help to Mauritius by donating a shipment of these products to the government, which were formally remitted to the Minister of Health and Wellness, Kailesh Jagutpal, during an official ceremony held on Wednesday the 29th of April 2020, at the Minister’s office in Port Louis.

“We are really pleased to have offered our assistance to Mauritius in these testing times. Our sole intention is to give a helping hand to the country where we have based our global business. We all need to pool our resources to rid the world of this invisible enemy as quickly as possible with the fewest casualties. This initiative is in line with the Aspen Group’s motto: ‘Health Care, We Care’; and our aspirations are to care for our patients, our employees and our community. Though our stock for this product is limited in view of global demand, we will continue to consider all requests from Mauritius as a top priority,” says Samer Kassem, CEO of Aspen Global Incorporated.

“I take note, with immense pleasure, of this act of generosity on behalf of Aspen. This is yet another example of the healthy and precious collaboration between the public and the private sector, I am confident that the existing robust relationship between the two sectors will keep on strengthening. Aspen’s initiative in providing us with this important stock of anaesthetic drugs, in spite of the challenging and difficult global situation when it comes to movement of goods, is very much appreciated. The ongoing COVID-19 situation is a planetary challenge, I remain confident that together, with all our stakeholders involved in the fight against the novel coronavirus, we will succeed in ascertaining that our population is provided with the best and most efficient health care possible”, states Kailesh Jagutpal, Minister of Health and Wellness.

These high-end pharmaceutical products are indeed essential in the process of intubating patients for ventilation, as they induce light to deep sedation and muscle relaxation. Securing this stock is very important at this stage of the epidemic as it extends the country’s capacity to care for the most serious forms of illnesses due to Covid-19 in our hospitals. Indeed, this coronavirus leads, in some cases, to ARDS. The anaesthetics donated by Aspen, the use of which has been confirmed by the Covid-19 Guidelines issued by the European Society of Intensive Care, helps doctors to find the right synchronisation between the patient and the mechanical ventilator.

The advisor to the Government of Mauritius, Dr Catherine Gaud, who has been instrumental in linking Aspen to the authorities was also present at the ceremony and lauded this initiative “Such partnerships with the private sector show the sense of solidarity that all Mauritians are demonstrating in the wake of this disease. How a country combats the COVID-19 and any other pandemic of this amplitude will also depend on such solidarity.”

This initiative is very important to Aspen as it is in line with its commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates. Mauritius has been the launchpad for the global expansion of the group since 2008 and, the passionate staff and their families have been very active in carrying out social initiatives towards the community since its establishment 12 years ago. While Covid-19 is yet another challenge, bringing hardship to people around the world, it also represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to “reset” our humanity and connect with others and nature as never before.